Students have a choice either to enroll in the school that serves their home district or to apply for an approved transfer at an open school. If they choose to transfer, the Open Enrollment period is Jan. 15 until Feb. 28.
Packets of information have been sent home with students and any student who is interested in transferring to a school, simply completes a one-page application, obtains signatures from principals (necessary for new transfers and kindergarten students), meets conditions specified in board policy, and submits the application by Feb. 28.
At the Jan. 14 Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Dr. Donald Phipps recommended revisions to school board policy 4150 School Assignments.
“We’ve revised the process to improve the overall effectiveness of student assignments,” said Phipps. “We encourage any student currently on an approved transfer or any student who would like to transfer, to complete the form by the deadline. Once the Open Enrollment closes, parents must show severe, extenuating circumstances to justify a student transfer.”
Changes to the policy will provide the district with accurate data on the number of students currently enrolled out of their home school district and by designating an Open Enrollment period early in the calendar year, the school district can more precisely determine the number of teachers that are needed in each school the following year.
The district recently conducted a capacity study of each of the school facilities. Any school reaching a 90% capacity will be designated as a closed school. During this Open Enrollment period, only three schools are closed to student transfers: Davenport A+ School, Lower Creek Elementary and William Lenoir Middle. All other schools are open to accepting approved student transfers.
Student transfer forms are posted online at caldwellschools.com.
